Please Enjoy. I only own Snow, her staff and her culture/home. I would like to thank my big sister for letting me use her character. Also the italics are spells that are in Latin and I'll give the translation at the end.

Chapter 22: What Lies Above (II)

"Well this stinks," Tygra commented as we looked around. Garbage surrounded us all of it broken or useless technology. We had been tossed down here on Vultaire's orders.

"That distinct aroma is coming from the refuse drop. This is where we dispose of our trash," Vultaire told us. I restrained a growl from escaping. A glimmer of hope still shone seeing as how the Birds had overlooked the fact that the kittens and Snarf were still missing and had been since we parted ways some time ago.

"Let us go, now!" Panthro demanded. But it was hopeless, these Birds would only let us go via a several hundred foot drop. Jaga-Rae was simply staring at Vultaire a blank expression on her face.

"Normally we return guests to the ground by airship. But when they engage in kidnapping and acts of Sabotage against our fair city and breaking in to our vaults again," Vultaire ranted on.

"Technically I broke into the armoury and took what you stole from us so I did nothing wrong," Jaga-Rae smugly informed the puffed up Vulture. Vultaire only glared at her.

"We use this," Vultaire finished his earlier statement, then he made a motion. A light appeared from the bottom of the dome we were in and the garbage began to move towards it. In a desperate attempt to survive myself and the other Cats began to climb up the falling garbage.

"You can't do this to us," Cheetara called up to the Birds.

"Yeah. We'd much rather be shot," Panthro called out. I disagree with that statement. I'd rather be stabbed than dropped from a garbage shoot in all honesty. Suddenly alarms began to blare once again.

"Sir we're detected a fleet of ships," A voice told Vultaire. A sinking suspicion in my gut told me that it was Mumm-Ra.

"Order every pilot to the skycutters! Whoever they are they have no chance against the technology of Avista" Vultaire instructed the Birdman who probably left to carry out his orders.

"Vultaire you know who this is. It's Mumm-Ra and he's coming for your Power Stone," Lion-O stated the obvious to the obnoxious Bird.

"And if you want to have a chance against him, you're going to need a few 'feral barbarians' on your side," The Puma stated. I stopped listening as I stared out the widening gap than would send us plummeting into death's embrace. My keen ears could pick up the light humming of engines which mostly likely came from Mumm-Ra's ship. Suddenly the gap rapidly closed, then a light gust passed by and I spotted an orange blur dive through the door Vultaire stood in front of.

"And there goes Jaga-Rae," I stated. The others looked confused as to why Jaga-Rae had run off like she did. It wasn't like the jaguar to flee but I had a sinking suspicion she was not fleeing.

"I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. My actions in the Stone Chamber… were rash," Pumyra admitted. I glared at her before seizing the strap of her dress and dragged her so that we were inches apart.

"Next time you do something stupid like that, you'll wish the Birds had dropped us," I warned the Puma before shoving her away and jumping up onto the platform and heading out. I ignored the looks I received from the Birds and Cats and focused on stopping that damned monster from getting the stone.

We all stood on a platform watching and waiting, then Mumm-Ra's fleeted arose from the clouds.

"How does Mumm-Ra keep finding us?" Tygra questioned. He raised a very fine point, in fact it seemed that ever since the Puma had joined us, Mumm-Ra had found it very easy to find us. That thought almost made my hackles stand up but I managed to stop them.

"No doubt you led him right to us," Vultaire stated. Despite his greedy arrogant attitude he did make a fine point.

"That's impossible," Cheetara protested. She was right, Mumm-Ra hadn't known about which way the Book pointed or where we were when we took off so how could he have followed us.

"All that matters now is keeping the Stone away him," The Puma stated. She had effectively stopped the discussion of how Mumm-Ra was tracking us, which unfortunately for her made me even more suspicious than I already was.

"We'll defend the perimeter," Lion-O offered to the Vulture who seemed to agree with it.

"And we'll defend the skies," Vultaire agreed with the plan. Vultaire went to get in his personal plane… only to discover that Tygra was already in it. After a brief argument with Tygra winning the ship geared to take off a blur rushed passed and jumped onto the plane. The blur turned out to be Jaga-Rae who simply stood on the plane.

"Keep them off this city! Thundercats HO!" Lion-O declared. I withdrew my staff and we unleashed the red beam of light at the approaching ships, destroying a few of them. Panthro, Cheetara and the Puma manned some giant guns which unleashed energy blasts, which helped to destroy a few more ships.

I could only watch helplessly as the Birds flew in formation which made them incredible easy targets for Mumm-Ra's army. The only one that was having any luck was Tygra who also carried Jaga-Rae with him. Jaga-Rae then did something incredibly insane… she jumped onto one of Mumm-Ra's ship and damaged a vulnerable part of it causing an explosion, luckily she had jumped back onto Tygra's plane before it exploded. Everyone just stared at the crazy Cat in amazement.

"Does that girl know fear?" Panthro exclaimed in pure shock. I also couldn't believe what Jaga-Rae did most of the time but I knew that she was a lot more dangerous than any of the other Cats realised.

The Puma's weapon was attacked causing an explosion which sent her flying however a familiar ominous presence fell over me. I looked up only to see that my magic sense was correct… Mumm-Ra was here. The Birds launched an assault on the flying metal tank but nothing damaged it, then a large orb of purple energy was unleashed wiping out the nearby planes. Suddenly as if he had not seen the attack Tygra dived in bank hard, only for Jaga-Rae to jump off the plane and she and her weapon somehow managed to land in a joint that connected the main body and a thruster. Jaga-Rae's attack must have damaged the connection because the thruster shut down. Then Jaga-Rae jumped back out and on to Tygra's plane.

"She's mad," I stated, not believing the display of sheer skill or luck I had just witnessed.

Then a message from Mumm-Ra began to play but I didn't bother listening to the hollow promises that old corpse made. I saw that Tygra was preparing a final one-shot assault on Mumm-Ra's tank, however one of the pilots betrayed him and shot the plane completely destroying its' ability and sending hurtling towards Avista. I saw Jaga-Rae yanking the Tiger out of the plane and jumped away from it before it crashed.

We continued to attack the oncoming fleet but they simply overpowered the Birds' technology with brute strength. Panthro and Cheetara were blasted away from the guns as they were destroyed. Floating platforms with Lizard grunts landed on Avista however I tapped my staff to the ground summoning gale force winds which carried the platforms and the Lizards off of Avista. However there were still too many of them and me and Lion-O could barely hold them back. Cheetara managed to use her speed to destroy some more of the platforms.

"Hold the line! Keep the off the deck!" Lion-O called out orders. But it seemed impossible for us to carry them out, the Lizards despite not being strong heavily outnumbered us. Along with the Tech that they carried it was incredible hard to stop their advancing army. More Lizard grunts practically flooded on to Avista forcing us to slowly but surely retreat further into Avista.

""We need to fall back and secure the Stone Chamber," The Puma cried out of the constant sounds of explosions and the firing of guns. I felt something amiss about her statement it seemed strange, especially considering her rash and annoying actions recently.

"She's right we'll hold them as long as they come," Panthro agreed. I didn't like the fact that everyone was agreeing with her but I knew if I stayed here I could stop whatever was going to happen.

"Well what are we waiting for," Jaga-Rae called out as she appeared beside Lion-O out of thin air, spooking the young princeling and the pathetic Puma.

"We don't need your help," The Puma argued. That statement raised my suspicions to a whole new level. The conversation of the Feliner was bad enough but when our best fighter were needed at the most crucial point – The stone Chamber – Pumyra wanted to get rid of her.

"How about you shut up for a change," Jaga-Rae suggested in a growling tone. The Puma flinched back at her statement.

""Jaga-Rae is right. When Mumm-Ra gets there you are going to need the best fighter and the only magic-user this team has," I argued. My argument silenced the Puma, but Lion-O agreed and we set off for the Stone Chamber, leaving the others to deal with Mumm-Ra's army. I hoped that Kit and Kat would get back here with whatever trick they had soon.

We raced as fast as we could to the chamber not stopping until we reached the pedestal that held the Tech Stone.

"We're out of time. You need to take this stone now!" Pumyra cried out to Lion-O. However her actions and words raised not only my suspicions but also Jaga-Rae's.

"Why the rush?" Jaga-Rae questioned in a suspicious tone. I agreed with the Jaguar, Pumyra's actions were getting a bit too suspicious for anyone to ignore any longer.

"We've been over this the entire city will fall," Lion-O argued against Pumyra, still refusing to take other people's lives for his own personal gain.

"It's already fallen at least we'll take Mumm-Ra with it," Pumyra argued still trying to convince Lion-O to betray his morals.

"There's a fallen city and then there's a dead city," Jaga-Rae hissed out at the Puma. I had remained silent, simply waiting for Mumm-Ra to turn up and our battle to begin.

"I won't doom thousands," Lion-O practically roared back at Pumyra, furious that she would continue this pointless argument. Suddenly a blast of purple energy slammed into Pumyra knocking her down. Me, Lion-O and Jaga-Rae whipped around to see Mumm-Ra leering in the doorway.

"I on the other hand have no such concern," Mumm-Ra spoke, his evil magic blanket the room.

"If you did have such concerns, you wouldn't be evil now would you," Jaga-Rae stated, as she gripped her bladed staff. I began to circulate my magic, preparing to stop this monster before he destroyed another life. Lion-O rushed over to Pumyra, whilst me and Jaga-Rae took careful steps back ready to protect him not matter the cost.

"If you've hurt her," Lion-O threatened letting it hang in the air. I felt jealousy rise up inside of me, I knew that he would never do the same for me, because he would never love me the way I loved him. I saw Jaga-Rae loosen her grip briefly before it swiftly tightened but even tighter than before, however her face betrayed nothing as she solely focused on Mumm-Ra.

"Your concern is misplaced. You're hopelessly outmatched," Mumm-Ra spoke simply not even caring about the damaged Cat.

"Count again. I have two Power Stones," Lion-O told him raising his gauntlet, the stones shone in the dim light that poured into the room.

"And once I destroy you and that Snow Leopard I will have three. The Sword and Staff of Omens are pale copies that can only tap a fraction of the stones' power," Mumm-Ra ranted before drawing his own sword. "This is the original, carved from the heart of a shattered star," Mumm-Ra declared as he held the weapon aloft purple lightening crackled off the weapon.

"My ancestor and Snow's, defeated you with the Sword and Staff of Omens. We will do the same," Lion-O declared drawing his sword.

"You want to destroy him, you're going to have to go through me. And I'm not afraid to sit on your shoulders again," Jaga-Rae stated as she held her weapon aloft, pointing the blade at our enemy.

"Ancient Spirits of Evil transform this decayed form into Mumm-Ra the Ever Living," Mumm-Ra chanted before transforming into his gigantic form. I rolled my eyes at the same trick.

"You need to learn some new magic tricks old man. This one's getting boring," I told Mumm-Ra. His eyes narrowed before he threw a bolt of energy at me "Obice," I said summoning a barrier to protect myself from the attack. I refused to back down to this demon and it seemed that my determination managed to overpower Mumm-Ra's raw magic because the energy was sent flying back at him surprising the demon. Jaga-Rae hand used the time he was distracted to slash across his chest forcing him down.

Mumm-Ra rose to his feet clutching his bloody chest, Lion-O dashed between the two of us and began to engage Mumm-Ra in a sword fight. Unfortunately neither me nor Jaga-Rae could find an opening to jump in and help without hurting Lion-O. Jaga-Rae was growling, her eyes stayed focused on the battle just waiting for a chance to charge in.

Lion-O and mum-Ra continued to fight with Mumm-Ra sending Lion-O flying into the air, he turned around to launch another assault. However before he could further harm the Lion, Jaga-Rae had charged in and slammed her foot into his stomach sending him flying back to the edge of the platform. I rushed over and managed to grab Lion-O preventing him from hitting the ground too hard.

"The Stones are mine," Mumm-Ra bellowed at us. His foul breath washing over us like the storming waves of the sea. Jaga-Rae was still stood before him, she then launched an upper cut into his jaw.

"Shut your mouth," Jaga-Rae snapped at the demon as her punch knocked the monster onto his back. I raised an eyebrow impressed by the incredible strength that the Jaguar had just displayed before us. Mumm-Ra hauled himself to his feet and slammed his arm into Jaga-Rae's stomach sending her flying into the air. However the Jaguar managed to twist herself around and propelled herself back to the platform but Mumm-Ra had already began charging towards Lion-O and me. I raised my staff as Lion-O raised his sword we managed to block the attack but the sheer power Mumm-Ra put behind the thrust was enough to push us to our knew. Suddenly a bright light began to glow from Lion-O's armour I shielded my eyes glancing down only to see that some of the armour he summoned in the past covered his arm, using the strength he gained from the armour he was able to throw Mumm-Ra back. I looked over to see that Jaga-Rae was staring at the armour in complete shock.

"That's new," Jaga-Rae exclaimed, her eyes focused on the armour unable to look away.

"You cannot fully harness the power and yet the stones still protect you," Mumm-Ra cried out as if he did not believe or understand why the Power Stones defend us. Lion-O looked down only just noticing the armour that rested on his arm. "I will just have to get one for myself," Mumm-Ra declared as he used his wings to rise off the ground and flew towards the Tech Stone and seized it.

"Never!" Lion-O yelled out at the demon. Lion-O charged forward and slammed his armoured fist into Mumm-Ra's face, forcing the stone to fly from his grasp.

"Jaga-Rae the stone," I cried to the Jaguar. Alarms began to blare signalling that the city was beginning to fall.

"On it," She responded, before charging over to where the stone lay, however Mumm-Ra blasted it away from her "You gods damned mummy, energy blast, evil psychopath of a… whatever you are," Jaga-Rae yelled at the demon.

This blast and run carried on for quite some time with me and Mumm-Ra mainly blasting the stone. I was so glad that they were indestructible.

"Will you stop with the energy beams? I kind of want to live," Jaga-Rae yelled at the two of us as Mumm-Ra blasted the stone away from Lion-O once again.

"So do I," I retorted to the Jaguar's yell. I noticed that Mumm-Ra was about to reach the stone but I sent out a blast. However the stone knocked over to the Puma who was just waking up. She looked at the stone and picked it up.

"Pumyra throw it," Lion-O called out to her. The Puma stared at the stone that she held in her hand. I looked at Jaga-Rae who was running over to Pumyra however due to the energy blasts she had to keep diverting her path.

"Lion-O you are my king," Pumyra spoke but she had a strange, almost empty look in her eyes then her face turned dark. "But he is my master," Pumyra declared before throwing the stone to Mumm-Ra. Jaga-Rae froze for only a brief second before she began to growl. It resonated off of her in rolling waves, then I felt energy in the air almost like electricity. Lion-O had a shocked look on his face and he almost reeled back.

Mumm-Ra placed the stone into his gauntlet and a massive purple light surrounded him, eventually when it dimmed Mumm-Ra have grown to a gigantic size and he had been completely covered in armour. Mumm-Ra fired a blast of energy at us, I managed to dodge but Lion-O was hit in the chest blasting him back. I watched a Pumyra calmly walked over to Mumm-Ra and kissed his armoured hand.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I growled out at the spectacle. My anger was simply rising beyond my belief but it was nothing compared to the anger that radiated off of Jaga-Rae. Her growl echoed through the room and I felt the prickling of magic rise once more.

"Pumyra why?" Lion-O asked, his sadness was barely contained and it felt like someone had stabbed me in the heart. His sorrow was practically crushing me. Mumm-Ra explained that Pumyra had died during the battle of Thundera, apparently the last thing she saw was us walking away. Mumm-Ra had resurrected her due to her soul's thirst for revenge and I realised that my suspicions were true, Mumm-Ra had used her to track us once she was implanted into our group.

"The signs they were there all along. You tracked us through her," Lion-O realised, still unable to believe what he had been told.

"You were a fool not to see it. A love-struck fool. Now die as I did helpless and alone," Pumyra cried out as she charged towards Lion-O. However before she could lad a strike both me and Jaga-Rae appeared in her path and crossed our weapons catching the staff she held.

"Your wrong you witch," I spoke to the Puma who seemed shock that we had stopped her.

"I'll kill you now," Jaga-Rae whispered out to the Puma, her tone was so deadly it shook me to my core.

"Lion-O was a love-struck but he is. Not. ALONE," I yelled out at the Puma as I felt my magic flooded out of my being. Freezing cold air began to whip around us biting into my skin but I couldn't care, I focused solely on the damned Cat before me. Jaga-Rae was still next to me unmoving as if she was protected from my raging magic, I could see her lashing at the monsters before us.

"Whoa summoned the snow storm," Tygra's voice cut through the silence breaking the freezing grip my magic had on me. I brought it under control but that was a mistake because all of us were forced back by Mumm-Ra blasting us with his magic. Jaga-Rae was the only one who was unfazed by the attack as she easily rose to her feet.

"You didn't forget about us did you?" Kat's cheery rang into the dark room. I lifted my head up to see him and Kit hovering over to the doorway.

"Do you think I will hesitate to destroy two kittens," Mumm-Ra almost seemed to laugh at the mere notion as he raised his hand prepared to destroy the two young ones.

"Kit, Kat get out of here!" Lion-O called out to them as he struggled to stand up. I managed to raise myself to my knees but it still hurt greatly to even blink let alone move. I noticed that Kit and Kat had identical smirks on their faces and that normally meant trouble.

"It's ok we brought back-up," Kit reassured.

"We went to everyone you ever helped and told them it was time to repay the favour," Kat explained and from the hallway… a single Fishman appeared. I couldn't believe that the only one who was actually willing to help us was one stinking Fish after all that we had done for these species. Everyone else apart from Jaga-Rae was a bit disappointed as well. Until the kittens revealed that the rest were in their magic bag.

From within the bottomless pit, Elephants, more Fish, the Berbils, Dobo and his Dogs appeared from within the bag. Aburn thanked Lion-O and agreed to stand by him but then one of the Elephants pointed at Jaga-Rae.

"Look it's little Rae," He pointed out but Aburn raised his staff.

"Not now," Aburn simply said. After that strange and rather confusing moment the other species voiced their agreement with the Elephants in their own way.

"Now take them down," The kittens yelled in unison. Our allies attacked Mumm-Ra and his pet, the Elephants unleashed waves of spiritual energy by stomping their feet, the fish fired their harpoon guns, the Dogs jumped right in with Jaga-Rae close behind slashing at Mumm-Ra and the Berbils attacked in their ball form.

Heavily outnumbered Mumm-Ra decided to flee and took off with Pumyra calling her beloved… I wanted to be sick at that moment. As the two took off into the sky, the prickling magic I had felt for quite some time rapidly increased.

"Pumyra I'll kill you. I won't forget this and I'll kill you" Jaga-Rae roared out to the Puma, then lightening arced off of her staff slamming into the traitor, knocking her out and almost making her fall, Mumm-Ra managed to grab her and continued flying off. Mumm-Ra spot a blast of energy into the roof of the chamber and disappeared into the hole.

After the lightening settled, Jaga-Rae collapsed to the ground completely exhausted. One of the Elephants came over and picked her up, Panthro was busy trying to see if he could stop the city from crashing. He couldn't keep it afloat but he would be able to land I. Lion-O almost collapsed but I managed to grab him just in time. Panthro re-routed all power from every other machine to the thrusters and he was able to land the ship without completely destroying it and killing us. We left the ruins of the floating city, but once outside Lion-O pushed away from me and went to sit on a rock away from everyone else except for Jaga-Rae who had to be placed away from everyone as she was still rackling with energy… according to the Elephants. I ranked my hands through my hair at the thought of Jaga-Rae was it possible that she had magic that was buried deep within her that she didn't realise was there. I had heard that it was possible but I had never seen it until today.

"You ok?" I heard Kit ask. I turned around to answer her only to see that she was talking to Lion-O. I stepped close to the two but kept out of sight so as to not disturb them.

"I was a fool to trust Pumyra and now look what I've lost us," Lion-O mourned. I remained in my position thinking over what I could say to the young king.

"We have lost a lot. But look what you've gained," Kit said. She turned and gestured to all our allies that had come to our aid even though they had no obligation to do so.

"Different animals of Third Earth working together for the first time. You know why?" Kit asked the king who looked at her confused "You Lion-O. You gave them something to believe in," Kit told him. She then hopped over to where the Sword of Omens lay and held it out to him "Now there's still one more stone left. Are we going to find it or what?" Kit reminded the Lion. He accepted the Sword and held it up.

"And if I'm right. There's a mummy that needs his but kicking by a crazy Jaguar," A horsed voice spoke. Everyone looked at Jaga-Rae who had finally pried her eyes open and she was smiling at Lion-O. I walked over to the king and placed my hand on his shoulder making him look at me.

"Love makes everyone a fool Lion-O. The only one to blame is Pumyra for using you like she did and trust me when I say she will pay for hurting you," I told him. Lion-O gently smiled at me. My statement was true not only was Jaga-Rae going to rip the Puma to pieces I would her spirit never rested. "Besides Jaga-Rae's lightning bolt will come in handy," I admitted. However Jaga-Rae looked confused.

"Lightning bolt? What Lightning bolt," Jaga-Rae asked completely confused.

*Thundercats*

Snow's spells

Latin version – English version

Obice – Barrier